Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 365 The Three Daughters' Alliance - Response

In the courtyard with its flowing water, the cool air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Oberyn and Euron had a private conversation in a side room.

When Oberyn, with a complex expression, told his brother Prince Doran his earth-shattering plan to "take down Lys, Myr, and Tyrosy in one fell swoop," Prince Doran, who was usually unsmiling, unconsciously tightened his grip on the armrest of his wheelchair.

A rare look of shock crossed Prince Doran's eyes, eyes accustomed to the dust storms and intrigues of Dorne, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake. A long silence spread between the brothers, with only the fountain continuing its tireless gurgling.

Daolang finally spoke slowly, his voice tinged with astonishment: "Little Sea Monster has never lacked amazing feats. This plan does indeed sound—unbelievable." He paused slightly, as if considering his words, then gently shook his head, a look on his face that even he himself could not fully comprehend. He sighed, "But for some reason, I—have a strange confidence in him, telling me that perhaps I should trust him."

Oberon abruptly looked up at his brother, his tense jawline relaxing slightly, as if he had found some kind of resonance. "You think so too?" The impatience in his tone was replaced by a deeper inquiry. "Although I call him arrogant, deep down—I actually think that this little madman might really be able to do it."

Prince Doran laughed, a laugh that carried the spirit of a high-stakes gamble.

"Then let's give it a try." He gazed at the vast expanse of land outside the courtyard, scorched by the blazing sun, his eyes distant, and said, "Although it's as difficult as climbing to the heavens, in the end, the other side is nothing more than three city-states that rely on the sea. On the high seas, it's not surprising that Euron Greyjoy has such a monstrous ambition to devour everything."

"Good!" The flame that had been extinguished in Oberyn's eyes was rekindled, this time burning with the excitement and fighting spirit of "Red Viper." "In that case, I'll go and gather my old troops, and let the banner of the 'Red Viper Mercenary Group' fly high once more on this disputed land! I won't be Oberyn Martell if I don't turn that place upside down and make those three sons of bitches bleed dry!"

A raven, carrying Oberyn's order to gather his former troops, flew to the other side of the Narrow Sea.

Inside the Bloodstone Isle Lord's Hall, the three daughters of Tyrothy, Rhys, and Myr form an alliance.

Allied Commander Gustav Drummond, along with representatives from the three parties—Grand Prince Tyrossi, Governor of Ries, and Governor of Mil—were sitting in a secret room.

General Gustav Drummond, the Allied Commander of the Kingdom of Three Daughters, had a brow so furrowed it could almost trap a fly.

On either side of Gustav sat representatives from Tyros, Rhys, and Myr. Tyros's representative was lavishly dressed, a large sapphire ring gleaming in the firelight on his finger, yet his face was ashen. Rhys's representative appeared capable and sinister, constantly stroking the hilt of the dagger at his waist. Myr's representative seemed more worried, occasionally letting out a silent sigh.

The atmosphere in the sealed room was oppressive. Wine was placed in front of the three people, but even the fine wine had lost its flavor at this moment.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

They gathered here because two major events that had recently occurred were like two poisonous thorns, deeply embedded in the heart of the Three Daughters Kingdom, causing them great distress and leaving them with lingering worries.

The air in the secret chamber of Bloodstone Island was like solidified grease, with only the occasional crackling of burning wood in the fireplace briefly breaking the suffocating silence.

General Gustav Drummond's thick fingers tapped heavily on the nautical chart spread out on the table, pointing to the distant Summer Islands.

His voice was hoarse with exhaustion and anxiety: "The Iron Islands have come out in full force this time, and their target is the Summer Isles. This seems certain from the beginning. The stated reason is to respond to the request of the exiled prince Jalabah Thal and send troops to help him restore his kingdom." He paused, raised his bloodshot eyes, and swept them over the three representatives present: "But none of us are naive enough to believe that Euron Greyjoy, that sea monster, would be so willing to help others; he must have something to do with the Summer Isles themselves."

He took a deep breath, the oppressive aura of which made the candlelight flicker: "But the key point is that he has mobilized nearly 20,000 soldiers, two giant ships, and over 300 of the latest longships! Gentlemen," his voice suddenly rose, "is it merely to help a disgraced prince reclaim the throne? Is it merely for the Summer Islands? Is such a massive mobilization and such a huge stake necessary?"

This question struck like a hammer blow to everyone's heart.

Representative Tyrosy unconsciously twirled the ring, Governor Reese's fingertips traced the hilt of the dagger, and Representative Myr uneasily licked his dry lips.

"I suspect," Gustav said in a low voice, his words like poisoned icicles piercing everyone's eardrums, "that this could very well be a huge smokescreen! On the surface, they're launching a grand expedition south, but secretly, their true target might be the Stone Steps Islands beneath our feet, or even—" His gaze swept across the three representatives' astonished faces like a hawk's, "...our three families themselves!"

These words ignited the long-dormant anxieties in everyone's hearts. The representatives from all three parties nodded almost in unison, their faces filled with solemnity.

"The general is absolutely right!"

"We've always had this concern."

"Such a massive fleet cannot possibly have a single objective!"

Gustav, observing their reactions, knew a consensus had been reached. He slowly straightened up, placed his hands on the table, and made the most reluctant yet prudent decision at this stage: "However, we should not act rashly before the situation becomes completely clear. It is a fact that the main force of the Iron Islands fleet has moved south. Without conclusive evidence that they intend to launch a surprise attack on us, any overreaction could prematurely ignite the conflict. Currently, the only thing we can do is remain on high alert and strengthen our defenses."

The three representatives exchanged glances and finally nodded heavily in agreement. Besides increasing security, they truly had no better option at the moment.

General Gustav's voice grew increasingly somber as he continued, "Another matter, which I'm sure you've all heard about, is that the pirate alliance of the Stone Steps Islands has officially disbanded, and its remnants and ships have all been incorporated into the Iron Islands. What are your thoughts on this, gentlemen?"

The representative of Tyrosi scoffed, elegantly waving his hand as if brushing away a speck of dust: "The Pirate Alliance? That's never been a serious threat. They're just a motley crew that gathers when there's profit to be made and disperses when there isn't. Whether they live or die, whether they're recruited or fed to sharks, what does it matter to us? Their existence has never truly affected the overall situation."

The representative of Ries nodded sinisterly, his fingertips still resting on the dagger: "Indeed. The key lies in the attitude of Euron, the Lord of the Sea Beasts. As long as he makes it clear that he will not be an enemy of our three city-states, whether those pirates scatter or unite is irrelevant."

Mill's representative echoed in a low voice, cautiously replying, "That's true."

"Irrelevant? Really?" Gustav abruptly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. His voice carried a hint of suppressed anger and helplessness as he coldly proclaimed, "Gentlemen, face reality! The Iron Islands' power is clinging to every reef of the Steppes like barnacles, growing ever larger and more entrenched! First came military intimidation, and now they've integrated all the pirates familiar with the local waters! If they continue to expand and grow at this rate, sooner or later, all three of us will be completely wiped out of these waters! Just like cleaning up those annoying attachments stuck to the bottom of a ship!"

He looked around at the three men and asked, word by word, "Are you all just going to sit idly by and do nothing?"

Silence fell again in the sealed room, but this time, the silence was not filled with passive worry, but with an active sense of crisis.

Representative Tyrossi broke the silence first, tapping his knuckles on the table, his eyes turning grim: "The general is right!"

We cannot sit idly by and wait to be defeated. We must find a way to restrict and weaken them.

Gustav asked, "How to limit it? How to weaken it?"

The representative from Reese immediately chimed in, "Their lifeblood lies in trade. We can unite and make a fuss about commerce. We can strictly limit or even prohibit import and export trade with ports within our sphere of influence, especially the timber, rope, and various other supplies that the Iron Islands desperately need—cutting off their supply lines and sources of income."

Myr's representative hesitated for a moment, then added, "We can also seek external assistance. We can put pressure on Westeros together with the Iron Treasury of Braavos, sending envoys to King's Landing to explain the situation to the Iron Throne, emphasizing that the Iron Islands' excessive expansion has disrupted the balance of the Narrow Sea, and requesting King Robert, as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, to intervene and restrain them."

The three heads huddled together, each taking turns to discuss how to weave an invisible net from multiple economic and diplomatic perspectives in an attempt to bind the steel sea monster that was rapidly expanding in the deep sea.

An atmosphere of anxiety and danger permeated the air.

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